title: HbA1c is related with uremic pruritus in diabetic and nondiabetic hemodialysis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Uremic pruritus (UP) remains a frequent problem in hemodialysis (HD) patients and is related to mortality. Poor glycemic control, as evaluated by hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), is also associated with morbidity and mortality in HD patients. In this study, we investigated the relationship between UP and HbA1c in HD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory variables, depressive symptoms, and health-related quality of life were assessed. Severity of UP was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS). The scale consisted of a 10 cm horizontal line marked from 0 (denoting no itch) to 10 (denoting worst possible imaginable itch).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Totally, 75 patients (male/female, 41/34; diabetic/nondiabetic, 29/46; age, 51.9 ± 13.5 years) were included. The VAS pruritus score was higher in diabetic patients compared with nondiabetic patients (4.7 ± 2.8 vs. 3.0 ± 1.0, p : 0.015). In diabetics, VAS pruritus score was independently related with calcium-phosphorus product (β : +0.637, p < 0.0001), intact parathyroid hormone (β : +0.343, p : 0.017), HbA1c (β : +0.310, p : 0.027), and Beck depression score (β : +0.474, p : 0.002). In nondiabetics, VAS pruritus score was independently related with calcium-phosphorus product (β : +0.486, p : 0.004), intact parathyroid hormone (β : +0.302, p : 0.041), and HbA1c (β : +0.341, p : 0.033). In the whole patient group, VAS pruritus score was independently related with calcium-phosphorus product (β : +0.372, p : 0.001), intact parathyroid hormone (β : +0.241, p : 0.008), HbA1c (β : +0.227, p : 0.031), and Beck depression score (β : +0.298, p : 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In both diabetic and nondiabetic patients, HbA1c is closely related with pruritus in HD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Zonguldak Atatürk Government Hospital, Zonguldak, Turkey. afsarbrs@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Baris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Afsar
authors.forename: Rengin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elsurer Afsar
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014511:Uremia / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin